Zachary was always such a special kid. I remember being in school the day he was born and getting picked up from school to be told he was born and how big he was! I remember that Vicki always made sure she had chicken for dinner when I babysat because Zack loved it as a toddler!! You don't realize the impact a person has on your life until they are gone, and Zachary had a huge impact on us. My kids loved him, and I just wish they had more time to play with their uncle Zack. I am so blessed with the memories we have from this summer and I am glad God gave me those few, precious days. My heart mourns for Vicki, Rick, Richie, Katelyn, Darrell and Jacob.I don't always feel that this is real, but I try to tell myself that there is a reason and that God makes all things good. When I see my sister's family, I still find myself expecting Zack to come running or grab my kids and play with them...his presence will always surround us.

One of my favorite memories was being in the delivery room when Zack was born. He was so beautiful! Now it is so hard to go through each day without the aching pain inside because of losing Zack. He was always busy and wanted us to watch new moves on his skate board.He
had a way with younger children and when at our house was always upstairs playing with his smaller aunts,uncles,
and cousins.He was a boy who shared all he had. He had many interests and futhure aspirations. We feel blessed to have been able to see Zack 2 days before he went to be with Jesus. The only confort we have is knowing that we will hug him again someday and will be together forever. For now Zack,you are away with Jesus and there will be a great reunion day. What a day that will be! We love you so very much.

Zack, I am sad that I lived so far away that I wasn't able to be around as much I would have loved to. I do have memories of your younger days, when we lived around the corner from each other, and Jess and I would walk over to visit, or your mom would walk over and seeing you and Katie and Richie running up to my house to visit. I really enjoyed that. I am really glad I was able to visit home this past August, and see you. I didn't have much time, but Jess has told me she is so glad she was able to visit and spend time talking with you that evening.

I know this week especially has been hard for you Vicki, and I want you to know you have been in my thoughts and prayers so much since Zack went to be with Jesus. All I can think about is that he is with Ma and Papa. They embraced him the moment he was in Heaven, and I truly feel they are watching over you, and over all of us. And we know that one day, we will all be reunited once again. Zack was a very special little guy, that left a wonderful impression on everyone he knew.

I wish so badly that I could have made the trip, and been there for you. I hope you know I was hugging you to my heart, and think of you all the time. Please, tell Katie I keep her in my thoughts and prayers also. I wish I could reach out and hug you both. I love you.

Thanksgiving will be the first major holiday without Zack. Giving thanks seems like such a daunting task this year. However, it seems obvious that Zack touched the lives of so many people, not only in his life, but in his untimely death. I can only imagine that lives were touched in ways we may never know. Thank you God for Zack's vibrant life and how he has touched us, thank you for the example of strength we see in the lives of his family, thank you for the knowledge that we will see him again some day soon!
p.s I'm sure hot sauce tastes just as good on turkey :)

We have now passed our birthdays and Thanksgiving, this is not how I imagine this time of year. I miss you and love you!

Always thinking of you....

Dad

Today I went to see you for the first time...it was bitter sweet. As I sat and talked to you my heart broke all over again. It was such a beautiful sunny day today,and it was so quiet and peaceful there. I smiled as I saw the Mcdonalds's sauce sitting there. It is so obvious how much your family cares and misses you by how beautiful your resting place is. I hope you know how much we all miss you.

Hi, Zack, I just wanted to let you know that not a day has gone by that I don't think about you. I also wanted to tell you (which you already know) how great your Mom is. She is such a strong person and I greatly admire her. I wish I could have spent more time with you, but I am thankful for the times I did have. This Christmas is going to be hard on everyone, but I hope and pray that the Lord brings comfort to your Mom, Darryl and Katie...Dad and Richie. Kaeden wants a skateboard for Christmas because he remembers watching you ride it and he always thought you were so cool!! I miss you, Zack, and Kaeden and I will be out to visit you soon!

I had thought that perhaps your birthday would be the most difficult this year. I was very wrong. Christmas has been hard. I was shopping for gifts and think,"what do I have for Brandon, and Jacob and you..but I didn't need to buy one for you this year and that just was so wrong. Then when we all gathered to open gifts, and we open by age, your turn came but you weren't there to open anything. We all miss you so much. We just want to be able to tell you we love you once again. I know you know how much your Mom and Dad and all the family loves and misses you. Sometimes it's hard to wait for the time we can all be together again. I love You, Zackie. Mamom

hey zack.i miss you buddy.i always think about the time when me you katelyn richie and ur dad went to the mall and u were actin like a rapper.haha im always thinkin bout ya.cant wait to see you one day.

your friend,
chelsea

Zachary was the best brother a girl could ask for. yeah i know we got in arguments but the best thing i loved about him was that he told me everything how he always told me how cute this girl was how he drew on me with cherry smellin markers when he knew i hated cherries. All the things that annoyed me when he was here i miss the most i would give anything to have him back. i miss him and love him so much. i remember vividly the day of the accident i was there with him i just kept saying Zachary i love you. i mean i never told him that and now i know i should have because u never know when its ur time to go. I regret not spending so much time with him but am so thankful for our long walks down the driveway. and our awesome dance moves haha that we always performed in front of the mirror or for darrell. nobody knows how bad it hurts to have lost you, you were my best friend and my baby brother i love you oh soo much and think about you daily. i can not wait to see you again!

It seems strange to be able to miss someone who you didn't know very well, but, I do. Watching your dad struggle to deal with each day without you can sometimes seem unbearable. The only thought that helps is knowing that you will never feel that pain, or any other that this world can bring. You will never have a broken heart, or feel unloved. You will never be cold, or tired, or hungry again. I praise God that He allows me to find peace in that. I look forward to the day when I will get to know you better, there will be an eternity. It feels like so long until everyone who loves you can be with you again,but for you, at the feet of Jesus, it will be the blink of an eye.

Zach i miss you so much. i wish you could be back and you, me, tori, ben,corey, and all your buddies would get together and be like old times. i would give anything to see you one last time. it seems like just yesterday we were plaing at crenshaw and having funn. i miss you zach and i love you!

Zachary, I think of you everyday. For a while I didn't know how life could go on after something like this...but it does. Everyone who knows me knows what I'm talking about when I stop sometimes and say, "Oh, this is a Zachary song" or "These are my Zachary flowers". (Beautiful purple flowers that bloom beside my front door.)You are never very far from my thoughts. Sometimes Faith, now 6, asks me "Mommy, when are you going to stop being sad about Zachary?" And I tell her "Never". You are so missed! I was at the soccer field telling some parents about the skate benefit when one girl said, "Oh for Zachary...we know him." She went to Crenshaw too. When we started planning this event it was so hard because all I could think about was how much you would enjoy being there. (But I know it's much better where you are.) The skate benefit will be on my birthday and I am honored. I can't think of any better way to spend it than honoring your memory. I love you sweet boy!

I miss you so much zack i wish you were still at school with us

i miss you so much i think about you every dayy i never stopp and i always look back at the piccs at mi party and i still have a vedio of you doing that 5 stair kick flipp you were so happy i remember when we wood be at school in crenshaww and outside and you wood make evry one laugh and smilee and every girl in that school likedd you and you were so nicee i miss you so muchhh

Dear Zack
i know i only just met you when you came to DES last year. But even know I only knew you for about a year you were a great friend. And for a week after you were gone and even after that it was silent and empty at school. I remember walking into school and just seeing your empty desk crushed me. But I stayed strong and didnt show my feelings. Cant wait to see you again.

miss you and thinking about you always

Brittany